Metal wheel



(No Model.)

A. A. PHILLIPS.

METAL WHEEL.

Patented, Oct. 30, 1888;

G m f 6) A m. y M m E z WJ MM N gnphcr Washington, a c

UNITED STATES AMBROSE A. PHILLIPS, OF TOLEDO, OHIO. v

METAL WHEEL.

SPECIPICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,915, dated October 30, 1888.

A pplicntion filed July 30, 1898.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, AMBROSE A. PHILLIPS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo,in the county ofLucas and State ofOhio, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Metal Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

My in'vention relates to metal wheels of that character used upon ehildrens carriages, velocipedcs, wheelbarrows, &c., and has for its object to reduce the cost of manufacture and produce a wheel of great strength as well as few parts.

The invention consists in forming the hub portion for the reception of the spokes in a single piece.

The invention further consists in the parts and combination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Heretofore in the branch of the art to which my invention belongs it has been usual to form that portion of the wheel in which the inner ends of the spokes are secured of two, three, or even more parts, thereby requiring each part to be finished to exactly fit the coacting part or parts. It is the object of my invention to obviate this multiplicity of parts as Well as expense of fitting the same, and also to increase the strength of the wheel by easting the bearing parts integral.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a Wheel having an annular opening through the hub for the reception of the axle.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a hub with the outer end removed to disclose the lugs cast integral with the hub, and also the position of the spokes within the same. Fig. 3 is an elevation of one end of the hub, showing the recesses between the lugs. Fig. 4. is a front elevation of a hub cast solidly upon the axle. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a section of hub on lines at as, Fig. 4, showing also the spokes in place and a wedge filling-piece between the same. Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the Serial No. 281,403. (No model.)

center of one of the ends of the hub, the front half being removed, showing also the filling piece in section. Fig. 7 isa front elevation of the filling-piece.

A designates the hub, consisting of the end portions, B, connected by a cylindrical portion, 0, perforated longitudinally, through which the arm of the axle is passed. In this perforation is preferably passed a thimble or bushing,D, as shown in Fig. 2; or the end sections of the hub may be cast solidly upon the axle D, as shown in Figs. 4 to 5, inclusive. Each end of thehub is formed with openings E, extending from the periphery to the central perforation, the openings being quadrantshaped, which form leaves the solid portion of the end in like shape, forming cross-bars F, as many as desired.

G designates spokes of the character known as return-spokes, wherein the wire of which they are constructed is bent centrally, as shown at H, each wire forming two spokes.

I designates a wedge-shaped filling-piece formed of metal, and having the lower portion, K, in the form of a section of circle, the sides terminating in elongated points L, for a purpose hereinafter stated.

M designates a section of the rim of the wheel.

In assembling the parts to form a wheel, the ends of the spokes are passed through openings E, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 2, and are placed within the ends of the hub, with the bend H passed around cross-bar Fand the free ends ofthe spokes radiating toward the rim M, to which they are secured in the usual manner, thereby constructing a solid wheel of few parts. To add to the appearance of the wheel, the wedge-shaped filling pieces are now inserted in the unfilled openings E and forced therein until the points L, meeting the thimble or bushing I), are separated in opposite directions, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 7, and as fully illustrated in Fig. 5, wherein the wedges are shown in place. The act of seating the wedgeshaped filling-pieces urges the points beneath the bend of the spokes, thereby holding the wedges in place and effectually closing the openings, as well as holding the spokes firmly against the cross-bars.

It will be seen that the entire hub, whether cast for theinsertion of the axle or integral therewith, can be cast in one piece and in one operation, thereby reducing the expense of manufacturing the same to a minimum and forming a hub of the greatest strength.

What I claim is 1. In a metal wheel, a hub consisting of a solid body of metal having cross-bars formed within the ends of the same, in combination with spokes engaged with the cross-bars and wheel-rim, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a metal wheel, a hub having end portions formed with quadrant-shaped openings and correspondingly-shaped cross-bars integral therewith, in combination with returnspokes having their bent portions engaged with the cross-bars and their free ends attached to the rim, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The herein-described metal wheel, comprising a circular rim and spokes attached thereto and to fastenings formed integral with the hub, in combination with filling-pieces inserted within openings in the hub and held in place by the spread of the end portions of the same, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereto afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

AMBROSE A. PHILLIPS.

Witnesses:

\VILLIAM WEBSTER, CARROLL J. VVEBSTER. 

